Soap queen Jacqueline Jossa tells us she is living her best life after turning 30, as she admits she has stopped ‘living for other people’ and finally ‘loves herself’ now
If anyone knows about the perils of the daily “mum juggle”, it’s Jacqueline Jossa. The EastEnders actress has two daughters, Ella, nine, and Mia, six, with her husband, ex-TOWIE star Dan Osbourne, and says that without her trusted network of close friends and family, she’d seriously struggle to keep all the plates spinning.
“It really takes a village to raise a family and I have a village around me,” says Jac, 32. “My husband is incredible. He also works and is very busy, so when we’re juggling, we’re usually juggling together. Luckily my mum is incredible too, and so is Dan’s dad, so we have a lot of help and support.”
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The mum-of-two’s harmonious homelife comes after a period of turmoil which saw her sell her £2 million Essex home amid rumours she and Dan, 33, had split. But in April the couple put on a united front while on what was described as a “make or break” holiday in Mexico, before going on to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary at London’s Pan Pacific hotel in June.
Now, life seems to be back on an even keel. “My kids have moved school a couple of times and for the kids, that’s so scary,” admits Jac. “I’ve also been so nervous. But Mia wants to join three new groups at school and it’s great for them to get involved in different clubs and make new friends.”
Jac says Ella and Mia have very distinct personalities, with her youngest already following in her sports-mad father’s footsteps. “Mia has been asking me for ages about joining football sessions,” smiles Jac. “Obviously her dad loves it and so does Teddy [Dan’s 11-year-old son from a previous relationship].”
While Ella is also sporty and has Dan’s “quick and dry” sense of humour, Jac says Mia has inherited her “sass” and is “really into the dramatic side of things”. So would the actress be happy if she followed in her footsteps and ended up on a top TV show?
“I want my kids to do whatever they want to do,” she explains. “I started to act when I was 17 and I’ve had a really incredible time doing this job. I also know the business, so if they wanted to go into it, I would help them and protect them every step of the way. At the same time, if one of them wants to be a dentist, we’ll support that too!”
As to who is the strictest parent, Jac says she’s probably less likely to give in to the kids’ demands than Dan. “When it comes to who is good cop, and who is bad cop, it really depends on the situation,” she admits. “We are usually on this same page, which I think is good, although that said, they do probably go to their daddy afterwards as he’s more likely to say yes.”
Last month the family enjoyed a sun-soaked holiday in Spain, giving Jac a rare period of respite before heading back to work on EastEnders, where she plays alcoholic mum, Lauren Branning. The star made a sensational return to the Square in 2024 following a six year break, and has recently been emboiled in some of the soap’s most explosive storylines – including taking in her delinquent brother, Oscar, and giving birth to visually-impaired son, Jimmy.
But despite her high profile, the former I’m A Celebrity winner says her daughters are unfazed by their mum’s celebrity status. “I still don’t think our kids know anything – and they don’t know any different,” she explains. “Everything goes over their heads in a really beautiful way.
“But of course it’s lovely to go away on family holidays and we always make sure they know how lucky we are and that we appreciate what we have. They’ve just started getting pocket money and that really helps at home. They’ve been making their beds and doing a few jobs, too.”
Despite having kids at a young age – Ella came along when Jac was just 22 – the star says she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I don’t think there’s a perfect time to have kids,” she reasons. “I was 21 when I found out I was pregnant and I don’t think there’s a right or wrong time.
“Me and Dan were young parents, but we didn’t struggle. Again, the ‘village’ helped. That has always been the case for me – I’ve always had amazing friends and family around me.”
Even so, when you’re as well-known as Jacqueline, casually making new friends at the school gates surely can’t be a breeze? “I think I find it as easy and as difficult as anyone else,” she laughs. “Just because I play a character on the telly doesn’t mean that I’m the first one to say hello – sometimes I can be thinking of things to say next, or wondering what to bring up.
“But I have a couple of mum friends from the school gates, so if I’m ever running late I can drop a quick text or call them and know that the kids will be taken care of and I can just go and pick them up from their house.”
Earlier this year, Jac revealed she had lost weight after cutting out snacking and nibbling on the kids’ leftovers. And while she tells OK! she has ‘fallen off the wagon” in recent weeks, she is enjoying exercise as much as ever. “The gym has become an actual fun part of my life, which I thought it would never ever do,” says Jac. “I love it now.”
But burning calories is less to do with how she looks and more about feeling her best. “It’s not totally about vanity for me,” she explains. “In previous times where I have tried to lose weight and yo-yo-ed a bit, it has been about vanity and doing it for the wrong reasons. Now, it’s about staying happy and healthy.”
The star has made no secret of the fact she has struggled with body image issues, once telling OK! that she “was obsessed with reading forums and negative things” about her looks. Today, she gives the trolls a wide berth.
“I think I have a really good balance on social media,” she says. “I feel like I’m the best version of myself. I’m confident and I just want that for my kids as well.
“I’m also good at living in the present now – and I haven’t always been. I don’t know if that’s because I’m older, but it’s like I hit 30 and just stopped living for other people. I love myself now – and I don’t have to prove myself to anyone.”
Jacqueline Jossa teams up with McDonald’s Fun Football and McCafé® to help parents connect on the sidelines while kids enjoy free football sessions. The nationwide programme is open to all children aged 5–11, with sign-ups now live at mcdonaldsfunfootball.co.uk/funfootball.
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